Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Trump’s Emergency Tariffs as President Declines to Attend

Overview

• The justices will hear oral arguments Wednesday on whether the administration legally used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose broad tariffs.
• President Trump said he will skip the session after previously considering an unprecedented in-person appearance by a sitting president.
• Two lower courts found the tariffs exceeded presidential authority, and roughly 40 petitions from business groups and other organizations are pressing the challenge.
• The eventual ruling could determine the treatment of more than $50 billion collected in tariff revenue this year and define the scope of unilateral executive authority over trade.
• Businesses report significant costs and operational strain from the duties, and experts say the White House could pivot to other statutes such as Section 301, with sector-specific tariffs outside this case.